Set in Stone - Haldir's Story -

Chapter 9 - Arwen Undómiel

Cirya was interrupted by a sweet voice singing a song Haldir had never heard before – not even in Lórien – that was so sad and beautiful at the same time it was flowing right through him, touching him at the core. The warden closed her fluttering eyes and smiled. "There is only one person in the world who can sing like this." – Daëra, it shot through Haldir's mind, although he had never heard her sing... loud and clearly, that is. – "Arwen Undómiel, daughter of Elrond. She has returned." – It took Haldir surprisingly long to realise what this meant. "Arwen has come – to stay?" – Cirya opened her eyes and started to walk towards the song. "Indeed. I knew she wanted to come soon, yet as you know 'soon' can mean a few months as well as a few years to us elves. To be honest with you, I did not expect her to come quite as soon, in winter. Yet then one of her brothers will probably have escorted her and perhaps they had some business to do so Arwen adjusted to their plans. I have known Arwen since she was a child... Her brothers not as much, for they usually do not stay long in Lórien. They do what they are meant to do and then leave." – Haldir slowly released his breath he had just noticed he had held. So she was gone. He had worried so much as to how to stay away from her, avoid her, when he was bound to stay in the Golden Wood, and now this sorrow had been taken from him. He felt relieved and now hardly minded staying in Lórien – or at least a lot less. Yet strangely enough, at the same time he felt a little bit sad. The Valar knew whether he and Daëra should ever meet again – although it was rather likely with a life-span as long as theirs – and defying all his former thoughts as to wanting to avoid her, Haldir realised he would have wished to say good-bye.

"Come on, it could have been worse." Orophin put his cloak down and looked at his brother. Rumil had crossed his arms and was standing in one corner of the flet. "Worse?! – Like what?" – Haldir slowly turned from the window to look at his middle brother as well. "I do not understand why you are so very much upset about it. Of course Orophin and I would have wanted to go home as well and we might not be of as much use here as we could have been in Mirkwood – yet our life is by no means over!" – Rumil shook his head at his brothers. "You really cannot see, can you?" – "For the sake of the Valar, brother!" Haldir found himself exclaiming. "What terrible fate is bound to befall us in here? Galadriel said we might be able to save Lórien from the powers that have already overwhelmed Mirkwood. Being here is not as noble and... right as defending our home would be, I know that, and I do not even dare to think of Thranduil's anger when he finds out. Do not misunderstand me, I want nothing more than return to Mirkwood and continue the life we have led before. Yet since we are given no choice, I think we can do some good here." – Rumil narrowed his eyes. "You were in quite a different mood before you spent the night with Cirya..." The next second, Rumil found himself crashed against the wall of the flet, the force sending tremors down the whole trunk of the tree. "Don't you dare spreading tales and rumours about me." Haldir felt anger sizzling up in him he could not tell where it came from. They were brothers, they teased each other, yet he didn't think this was funny. Besides, Rumil's words had been full of spite. Haldir hadn't fought with one of his brothers for a long while – he wouldn't hesitate to now, though.

Orophin went between them. "Calm down, Haldir. Please." – Haldir let go off his brother who sucked in deep breaths of air. Orophin looked from one to the other, clearly not feeling comfortable in his new role as a mediator. Rumil rubbed his neck where his eldest brother's arm had pushed him against the wall, and cleared his throat. "You really do not see it. Just think, brothers. Think what it means. We are to stay here for an indefinite period." – "Yes," Orophin remarked, eager to lighten up the mood, "we can go home some day. I am sure Galadriel will not keep us here forever. And even if she intended to: we could just run for it one day. See what happens. I doubt she would kill us." – "That is the point." Rumil gritted his teeth. "We will not be able to go back. As Haldir has said before: it is less dangerous here. Do you think we would survive a single day in Mirkwood after a few decades in here?" – Haldir crossed his arms. "I do not think it will all get lost. Our skills have been part of our everyday life for too long." – "Yet even if you are right, do you actually believe Thranduil would admit us back? You know it, brothers, as well as I do: staying here now means staying here forever."